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Demands for a taxpayer’s charter

Taxpayers’ rights and responsibilities should be laid out in a charter
according to PricewaterhouseCoopers tax experts.

The demand follows revealations in a National Audit Office report that HMRC
miscalculates the tax liabilities of up to one million taxpayers per year.

Quoted in The Times, PwC tax partner John Whiting, said: ‘We need a
taxpayer’s charter so that if people feel something is going wrong, there is a
document that gives rights and responsibilities to them, as well as to the
Revenue.’

The National Audit Office report, which was published today, details that
about one million tax payers are paying the wrong tax, because of HMRC’s failure
to calculate the correct laibilities. The NAO said the errors resulted in an
estimated £125m of tax underpayments and £157m in overpayments.

Sir John Bourn, Head of the NAO, said today: ‘HMRC has improved its
processing of income tax returns but there are still substantial numbers of
taxpayers who are affected by processing errors.

‘Vulnerable groups such as pensioners are likely to be disproportionately
affected. The recommendations in my report will help the department build on the
work already underway to improve the processing of tax returns.’

It has been another glittering night in the accountancy calendar. A range of practices big and small, plus outstanding individuals, have been rewarded for their efforts in the British Accountancy Awards 2016